Cashman talks about how the team is preparing for Judge's departure. There is a time and a place for this.
The MLB Players Association requested an inquiry into whether the New York Mets and New York Yankees violated the collective bargaining agreement after a story about the Mets' reluctance to pursue Judge.
The investigation stems from a paragraph on the website of the Mets' television station, SNY, which discusses the "mutually respectful relationship" between Mets owner Steve Cohen and Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner.
The union asked MLB to investigate communications between Cohen and Steinbrenner, sources said. According to sources, the league will be requesting records of phone calls, texts and emails.
The union was alarmed by comments made by Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, who told MLB.com that free agent ace Justin Verlander was looking for a three-year deal similar to that of Max Scherzer.
No one involved in the free agent process can make comments to the media about the value of an unsigned free agent.
The fear of colluding dates back to the 1980s when the owners were found to have created an information bank to keep free agent salaries low. $280 million was paid to players for three different violations of the collective bargaining agreement.
Five years ago the union considered filing a complaint. The lack of evidence kept the union from pursuing a claim, despite the similarity of free agent offers in the last few years.
In the winter of 2002-2003, MLB paid $12 million from player claims in the last successful case. If a case is successful, triple damages are paid.
It would be difficult to prove that Cohen and Steinbrenner hindered Judge's market if the union won the case. The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants are seen as the most likely destinations for Judge.
The Mets ran a pre-luxury-tax-penalty payroll of $288 million in 2022. Both Jacob deGrom and Brandon Nimmo are free agents. The annual salaries of deGrom and Nimmo could be more than $65 million. The Mets have not been interested in signing Judge since he turned down a $213.5 million contract extension from the Yankees, according to the SNY story.
James Click rejected Crane's one-year offer with a minimal raise after his contract expired. Sources say that Crane has taken an increasingly large role in baseball operations since he left.
Crane told MLB.com that he wouldn't be hiring a new GM until the new year.
Player X is seeking more than Player Y received according to an eight-point list of comments that owners and players cannot make. Crane told MLB.com that the 39-year-old right-handed pitcher is looking at a comparable player, which he thinks is only one.
A violation of this agreement will be established only if the grieving party identifies the specific individual.
This report was contributed to by the writer of the show.
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